6.20.2016

When I first tried this dress on at Living Threads Vintage I was blond, and while it was a lovely dress that ticked to many boxes, I wasn't feeling it. About a month later I went back and tried it on with darker locks and it seems that was the key, and I've worn it every chance I get since. It's 1950's Lanz, one of my very favorite labels, and made of wide wale corduroy, and I just LOVE what the 50's did with corduroy.

The belt I've had for ages, it's elastic with little dancing figures on the front and sides. The back reads "Anita Pienovi School of Dance Arts" which was a dance school in Oregon, and it's the perfect finishing touch.

5.17.2016

Doris Petticoats have been a longtime favorite of mine, this U.K. brand makes a wide variety of colors, prints, and best of all, lengths to suit whatever garment you're wearing. They're made of layers of soft nylon which makes them incredibly comfortable, and the ruffles at the hem give you extra fullness and flounce. I just received my favorite length (21") in pink, which I layered with gray in one of the photos, and it's a fantastic combo. They're easily adjustable too, and have a pretty satin ribbon for an added touch.

5.11.2016

Here's a lovely dress to welcome spring, from Lady V London's vintage collection! A range of vintage inspired dresses for daily or special wear, this one is the Hepburn dress, and it's a fantastic design for dressing up or down.

It's a simple cut, with full gored skirt and sleeveless bodice, in a gorgeous floral print over a purple background. It has a slight stretch to it, which makes it really comfortable, and the skirt is full enough to add a petticoat if you want to dress it up a bit.

And Vixen Vintage readers can get 10% off with code SOLANAH10 so treat yourself!

4.26.2016

This weekend my mother and I flew to Austin Texas for her birthday! We'd never been before, and planned on attending the Food and Wine festival, but unfortunately it was cancelled last minute. Fortunately I have friends who were happy to show us around the city, and they took us everywhere!

We spent a morning at The Austin Antique Mall, a warehouse building full of treasures, and booths packed full of vintage clothing! I found a couple summer items there, just what I was hoping for.

One unexpected part of the city I loved was the signage, it seems like there's no point in having a business without a top notch retro style neon sign. From restaurants to massage therapists, it's a neon sign paradise.

There are SO MANY amazing restaurants and I went the entire trip eating mostly vegan without even trying. I could eat at Tacodeli every day, and am forever envious of the huge Whole Foods at the company headquarters.

My favorite breakfast by far was at The Driskill, the "Austin American breakfast" has lovely roasted veggies and crispy bacon. And the hotel itself is gorgeous, a historic building that's beautifully decorated.

4.15.2016

A few years ago I made this hat for an 18th Century costume party, and while I may have posted a snapshot of the costume, I never did a proper post of my favorite aspect of the outfit: The hat!

I just watched Mirror Mirror for the first time yesterday, and in one scene people have ship hats on, so it reminded me to actually photograph my own!

I wanted the ship to look as though it were caught up in fateful wave, the blue and white plumage reaching up and over. I used traditional buckram as best I could, using needle and thread rather than hot glue, and I'm surprised it's held up this long! I haven't attempted more millinery creations, but this was a fun one, maybe one day I'll have another use for it.

4.10.2016

One of my very favorite films ever is the most recent live action Cinderella. It's beautifully done, with excellent casting and performances, not to mention all the visuals involved. But I think what really stands out is that it's a good story, and Cinderella reminds us to be our best selves (I tried a less cheesy way of saying that but it just had to be put that way). Ella and Prince Kit each have their own hardships in the film, and I think Richard Madden put it best in his description of modernizing the character:

"This was so much more interesting because I had to make a character that’s worthy of being around her and worthy of her affections. So, I made him someone who had a sense of humor and who is aware of his own privilege and who has compassion for everyone around him."

The two have excellent chemistry, and I think it's the perfect way of telling a classic fairytale for a modern audience. I have about a million screencaps saved so I'll do a few posts featuring different themes, this time it's all about Cinderella and Prince Kit.